JULY 2022

STATUS & REGISTERED NATIVES GET RIGHT TO VOTE IN CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTIONS In March 1960, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker pushed the voting rights legislation through Parliament.  It came into effect July 1 that … Continue reading “JULY 1, 1960”

SALISH LEE MARACLE BORN–FEMINIST POET & AUTHOR, MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA Born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, of Métis & Salish parents, her works focus on Indigenous identity for … Continue reading “JULY 2, 1950”

“KING” BENNIE NAWAHI BORN– NATIVE HAWAIIAN LAP STEEL GUITAR MASTER Born in Honolulu, Bennie taught himself slack key guitar.  By 15, he played in parks for tourists.  In 1919, he played … Continue reading “JULY 3, 1899”

TSIMSHIAN ACTIVIST PETER SIMPSON BORN–FATHER OF THE LAND CLAIMS ACT While some differ on birth year (1871 or 1864), Simpson held he was born on July 4, in Lax Kw’alaams, British … Continue reading “JULY 4, 1871”

CREE ACTOR GORDON TOOTOOSIS DIED Born October 25, 1941, on Poundmaker Reserve, near Cutknife, Saskatchewan (SK), Tootoosis was a cowboy and champion Calf & Team Roper.  He toured the Americas with … Continue reading “JULY 5, 2011”

OJIBWE GEORGE EDWARD “CHIEF” ARMSTRONG BORN– NHL HALL OF FAME STAR Born in Skead, Ontario, Armstrong grew up in nearby Sudbury.  The Toronto Maple Leafs discovered him playing with the Copper … Continue reading “JULY 6, 1930”

PRESIDENT MCKINLEY SIGNS NEWLANDS RESOLUTION ANNEXING HAWAII Hawaii was formally annexed by the Newlands Resolution, a Congressional-executive agreement method requiring only a majority vote in both houses.  Passing Congress on July … Continue reading “JULY 7, 1898”

CHEROKEE-QUAPAW HONGANOZHE (LOUIS W. BALLARD) BORN—FAMED COMPOSER Born on the Quapaw reserve in Oklahoma, Louis’ name meant “Stands with Eagles.”  A high school musician, athlete & scholar, his Bachelors & Masters … Continue reading “JULY 8, 1931”

YAQUI RESISTANCE LEADER TETABIATE (JUAN WASWECHIA BELTRAN) KILLED Tetabiate, whose Yaqui name meant “Rolling Stone,” was born in Belem, Sonora, Mexico.  He was a follower of Cajemé who led the resistance … Continue reading “JULY 9, 1901”

PASSAMAQUODDY NOTED BASKETMAKER MARY MITCHELL GABRIEL DIED Born November 12, 1908, in the Passamaquoddy Indian Township of Princeton, Maine, her mother and grandmother were dedicated basket makers.  Her father built birch-bark … Continue reading “JULY 10, 2004”

INUIT ARTIST PITALOOSIE SAILA BORN—MEMBER, ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS Born on the coast of Baffin Island near Cape Dorset, Saila’s childhood was spent in various hospitals due to tuberculosis.  She … Continue reading “JULY 11, 1942”

DUTCH BUY WHAT BECOMES ELLIS ISLAND Located in the upper New York Bay, a short distance from the New Jersey shore, Ellis Island was originally known to American Indians as Kioshk, … Continue reading “JULY 12, 1630”

LEPER WAR ON KAUA’I ENDS IN A STALEMATE Also known as the Ko’olau Rebellion, it followed efforts by the government to enforce an 1865 Act to stop the spread of Leprosy by forcibly relocating lepers … Continue reading “JULY 13, 1893”

BEGINNINGS OF THE 1837 SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC Smallpox epidemics of 1781 & 1801 forced the Mandans, Hidatsas, and Arikaras to the mouth of the Knife River.  Fort Clark, a major fur-trading post, … Continue reading “JULY 14, 1837”

PBS KIDS® PREMIERS MOLLY OF DINALI® Molly of Dinali, a PBS KIDS® series produced by WGBH Boston, became the first nationally distributed children’s series to feature a Native American lead character.  The … Continue reading “JULY 15, 2019”

HAWAIIAN KEALI’I BLAISDELL BORN– SLACK KEY GUITARIST, ATTORNEY & ACTIVIST Born in Honolulu and descended from Laeanuikaumanamana, the High Priest of Liloa, E. Keali’i-kaleo-o-laeanuikaumanamana VIII Aken started playing the ukulele at … Continue reading “JULY 16, 1972”

TSIMSHIAN ODILLE MORISON BORN–LINGUIST Born in the Tsimshian village of Lax Kw’alaams, then known as Fort or Port Simpson, Odille was the daughter of a Tsimshian traditional healer & midwife and … Continue reading “JULY 17, 1855”

OJIBWE AL HACKNER BORN– HALL OF FAME CURLER Born in Nipigon, Ontario, Hackner is a member of the Red Rock Indian band.  His greatest curling successes were playing for Northern Ontario … Continue reading “JULY 18, 1954”

NAPALPI MASSACRE-PARAGUAYAN TOBA MURDERED BY POLICE & RANCHERS In the 1870s, to stop Chilean expansion into the Patagonian Desert, Argentina engaged in the bloody “Conquest of Chaco” military campaign to subjugate … Continue reading “JULY 19, 1924”

MÉTIS ROBERT “BOB” BOYER BORN—EDUCATOR & PAINTER Born at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (SK), Boyer’s Bachelor’s degree was from University of SK (SKU), Regina (1971).  He taught art & drama at Prince … Continue reading “JULY 20, 1948”

KOOTENAI CHAIRWOMAN AMELIA “AMY” CUTSACK TRICE DIED—DECLARED WAR ON THE U.S. Born on April 26, 1936, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Trice grew up in an empoverished Kootenai community.  As tribal enrollment … Continue reading “JULY 21, 2011”

INUIT-CREE GOODIAROOK (IRENE BEDARD) BORN–GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATED ACTRESS Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Bedard, whose Inuit name means “Someone Who Dropped,” is also of Cree ancestry.  After high school, she … Continue reading “JULY 22, 1967”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN DANCER SINGER KINI “JENNIE” KAPAHU WILSON DIED Ana Kini Kapahukulaokamāmalu Kuululani McColgan Huhu was born in Honolulu, March 4, 1872.  She became the hānai daughter of a childless woman … Continue reading “JULY 23, 1962”

SALISH GESWANOUTH SLAHOOT (CHIEF DAN GEORGE) BORN—NOTED FILM & STAGE ACTOR Of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Salish tribe in Burrard Inlet, N. Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Dan’s tribal name was anglicized … Continue reading “JULY 24, 1899”

MEXICAN FLORENTINA LOPEZ DE JESUS BORN—AWARD-WINNING AMUZGO WEAVER Born in Xochislahuaca, State of Guerrero, Mexico, “Tina,” like most Amuzgo girls, learned to weave cotton garments by watching her mother.  She began … Continue reading “JULY 25, 1939”

NAVAJO RUDOLPH CARL “R.C.” GORMAN BORN—FAMED PAINTER Born in Chinle, Arizona, his father, also named Carl, was a noted Navajo painter and code talker during WWII.  Gorman’s grandmother taught him Navajo … Continue reading “JULY 26, 1932”

OSAGE MOHONGO (SACRED SUN) & OTHERS ARRIVE IN FRANCE At age 18, Sacred Sun and 4 other Osage members traveled to France with David Delauney.  Arriving in Le Havre, they were … Continue reading “JULY 27, 1827”

QUECHA ALEJANDRO TOLEDO BECOMES 1ST PERUVIAN INDIGENOUS PRESIDENT Born March 28, 1946, in Cabana, Peru, Toledo, son of Quechuan farmers, grew up in Chimbote.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree at Univ. … Continue reading “JULY 28, 2001”

AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT (AIM) FORMED BY STUDENTS IN MINNESOTA Formed at 1212 Plymouth Avenue, Minneapolis, 86 American Indians, mostly women and children showed up for its first meeting.  Founded by Clyde … Continue reading “JULY 29, 1968”

CANADIAN OJIBWE ARTIST CARL BEAM DIED Born May 24, 1943, in West Bay, Manitoulin Island, Ontario (now M’Chigeeng First Nation), Beam attended the Kootenay School of Art before graduating from University … Continue reading “JULY 30, 2005”

MINOMINEE O’PEQTAW-METAMOH (INGRID WASHINAWATOK EL-ISSA) BORN–SLAIN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST Born in Kenesha, Wisconsin, her name meant “Flying Eagle Woman.”  She worked with multiple organizations on behalf of indigenous culture, women’s rights, … Continue reading “JULY 31, 1957”